4 May 2005

Uncaring Labour Govt abandons Samoan officers

Dr Muriel Newman Wednesday, - Immigration

The Labour Government has abandoned the Samoans it recruited to work as prison officers many of whom I predict will end up on welfare, ACT deputy leader Dr Muriel Newman said today.

Dr Newman was responding to concern from the Corrections Association that Samoans who have been recruited to work as prison officers have been abandoned, with many struggling with the basics of living like accommodation and transport.

The idea of recruiting Samoans to fill the skill shortages in these areas was fraught from the start. Labour’s first option should have been to offer training and support to New Zealand’s 76,000 unemployed, instead of recruiting overseas,” Dr Newman said.

As a result of their relentless drive to win support from the Pacific Island community, this uncaring Labour Government has brought these people to New Zealand and left them alone to deal with the culture shock of being in a new country, while at the same time trying to get to grips with an unfamiliar job.

Many of them will not be able to cope and instead of going home they will become yet another welfare statistic relying on the New Zealand taxpayer to support them.

The Labour Government should be ashamed at the way it has treated these Samoans. It should now learn from its mistakes by employing unemployed New Zealanders before it looks overseas to cultures that have difficulty coping with our New Zealand way of life, Dr Newman said.

ENDS

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